Along the Ramblas

It is a telling comment on Barcelona’s character that one can recommend a single street – the Ramblas – as a highlight. No day in the city seems complete without a stroll down at least part of what, for Spanish poet Federico García Lorca, was “the only street in the world which I wish would never end”. Lined with cafés, restaurants, souvenir shops, flower stalls and newspaper kiosks, it’s at the heart of Barcelona’s life and self-image.

The Ramblas splits the old-town areas of Barcelona in half, with the Barri Gòtic on the east flank of the avenue and El Raval on the west. It also actually comprises five separate sections strung head to tail – from north to south, Rambla Canaletes, Estudis, Sant Josep, Caputxins and Santa Mònica – though you’ll rarely hear them referred to as such. Here, under the plane trees, you’ll find pet canaries, tropical fish, flowers, plants, postcards and books. You can buy jewellery, have your palm read and your portrait painted, play cards with a man on an upturned cardboard box (not a good idea), or while away time with the buskers and human statues.

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Mercat de la Boqueria

Beyond the Palau de la Virreina lies the city’s most famous market, known locally as La Boqueria, though officially the Mercat Sant Josep. While others might protest, the market really can claim to be the best in Spain. Built between 1836 and 1840, it’s a riot of noise and colour, with great piles of fruit and vegetables, dried herbs, exotic mushrooms, cured meats and an amazing variety of fish and seafood. If you’re going to buy, do some browsing first, as the flagship fruit and veg stalls by the entrance tend to have higher prices than those farther inside. There are some excellent stand-up snack bars in here, open from dawn onwards for the traders – Pinotxo near the Ramblas entrance is the most famous.

The Ramblas statues

You can’t move for human statues on the Ramblas, standing on their little home-made plinths. Classical figures and movie characters have always formed part of the parade, but there’s also some real wit and invention on display, like “Fruit Lady”, a one-woman mobile market stall, or the twin “Bicycling Skeletons”. Then there’s just the plain weird, like “Lady Under Rock”, crushed under a boulder, issuing plaintive shrieks at passers-by. And quite what demons drive “Man Sitting on Toilet”, only he can say.

On the Miró trail

Halfway down the Ramblas, just past La Boqueria, look down at the pavement – that’s right, the large circular mural under your feet is by Joan Miró. The famous Catalan artist was born just a couple of minutes’ walk off the Ramblas in the Barri Gòtic (there’s a plaque to mark the building on Passatge del Crèdit, off c/de Ferran) – and when you’ve seen one Miró in Barcelona, well, you start to see them everywhere, whether it’s T-shirts for tourists or branding for businesses. There’s another large ceramic mural at the airport, for a start, while Miró designed the starfish logo for the Caixa de Pensions savings bank (there’s one splashed across the Caixa Forum arts centre on Montjuïc). And this is all on top of the Montjuïc museum devoted to his life’s work. In many ways, it’s a Miró city, whatever Picasso fans might think.